Technological advances in computer hardware, software and networking have lead to efficient, cost effective computing systems (e.g., desktop computers, laptops, handhelds, cell phones, servers . . . ) that can communicate with each other from essentially anywhere in the world in order to exchange information. These systems continue to evolve into more reliable, robust and user-friendly systems. As a result, more and more industries and consumers are purchasing computers and utilizing them as viable electronic alternatives to traditional paper and verbal media for exchanging information. For example, many industries and consumers are leveraging computing technology to improve efficiency and decrease cost through web-based (e.g., on-line) services. For instance, consumers can search and retrieve particular information (e.g., via a search engine), purchase goods, view bank statements, invoke monetary transactions (e.g., pay a bill on-line), research products and companies, apply for employment, obtain real-time stock quotes, obtain a college degree, download files and applications, transmit correspondence (e.g., email, chat rooms . . . ), etc. with the click of a mouse.
A large and ever-growing amount of computer software is readily available to consumers in light of such a dramatic increase in use, demand, availability, and decrease in cost. Based on such vast and broad functionality associated with computers, computer software exists for essentially any market, activity, computation, and/or computer-related implementation. For instance, software can be related to accounting, word processing, data management, electronic mail message, virus protection, data synchronization, digital photograph manipulation, media management, operating systems (OS), update control, audio, graphic design, architecture, taxes, browsers, document readers, games, communications, security, networking, etc.
With the advent of highly sophisticated computer software and/or hardware, servicing areas associated therewith have stormed into existence in order to meet consumer high-demands. Typically, computational services are undertaken upon a client or within a proprietary intranet. Client-side systems are employed to manage relationships between users, software applications, services, and hardware within a client machine, as well as data resident upon a respective intranet. However, in addition to client-side systems providing services, off-site systems (e.g., third party) can also provide services in order to improve data capability, integrity, reliability, versioning, security, and mitigate costs associated therewith.
In general, these services can be employed to manage relationship between users, provide software applications, enhance hardware capabilities, manage data, optimize security, etc. For example, a third party service can enable a client to store data therewith limited solely by the third party capabilities (e.g., hardware, software, etc.). With such increase in growth related to servicing businesses, a portion of such may not be able survive and will likely be terminated based on planned events (e.g., retirement, strike, closing, shut downs, etc.) or unforeseen circumstances such as, loss of profits, death of owner(s), bankruptcy, and the like. Following the brief example above, if the third party service ceases to exist, a remedy must be available to enable the client to retrieve uploaded data. Thus, upon death of a business that provides a service, various problems and/or issues may arise, wherein conventional solutions are costly, inefficient, non-existent, meticulous, and pain-staking. Users may want to migrate data and/or services for other reasons as well. For instance, users may be able to get cheaper and/or better services elsewhere (e.g. this can be a common problem associated with hosting a website). In another instance, data can be migrated based on machine deterioration, virus infections (e.g. getting “sick”), and/or replaced. Thus, a user may want to migrate data from an old machine to a newly purchased machine.